Just another morning in a busy coffee shop in northwest Calgary. People coming, people going, people slurping their lattes.

Well, most people.

But a few are taking keen notice of the table in the middle of the establishment. There, a familiar-looking gentleman is sitting back and telling stories to a reporter.

They stop. They stare. Presumably, they take pictures.

Lanny McDonald does not flinch. He carries on, spinning tales about his 1981 trade to the Calgary Flames. If he notices any of the gawking, he doesn’t mention it.

One admirer eventually approaches. Shyly and smilingly, the woman addresses McDonald as “Mr. Lanny,” formal yet familiar all at once.

At a nearby table, three young men are also clearly enjoying the situation, basking in the Lanny-ness of it all. Every few minutes, they rotate seats – one perch offers the best view of their hero, another the best spot for listening.